Don’t expect easing of social distancing rules in KFL&A, despite low infection rate

Jeff Green | Apr 22, 2020

Dr. Azim Kasmani of Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Public Health, is pleased with “how seriously the residents in the region have taken to the challenge of maintaining social distancing.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday, he also said that he is heartened by how effective the distancing has been, particularly in KFL&A where there have been 59 recorded cases since the outbreak began, less than 40% of the provincial average.

In fact, there had been no cases in KFL&A for over a week, but 2 new cases in Frontenac County and 2 in Kingston, over the last 3 days, serves as a reminder that the COVID outbreak is still active in all parts of Ontario. Among the Kingston cases, is the first yet in a long-term care setting in the region, triggering a concentrated containment response. Any case in a long-term care facility is considered an ‘outbreak’ and triggers an enhanced response.

On Tuesday afternoon, Ontario’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, said that the provincial number of new cases per day needs to decrease to 200 per day or less, before the economy can re-open. With a population of about 1/75 of the province as a whole, the equivalent number of new cases in KFL&A would be 2 – 3 new cases per day. Even with new cases over the last couple of days, KFL&A has been below the provincial target for re-opening the economy for two weeks.

“While there is talk of Ontario having reached its peak, it is more like the first peak in a mountain range. We expect things to go up and down,” said Dr. Kasmani. “But I must say that the experience in KFL&A with distancing, case and contact management, and quarantining people as needed, has worked very well. I was a bit skeptical about how well these measures would work, but the illness has been really responsive. Contact tracing does work.”

Even with the favourable local numbers, Dr. Kasmani said that altering any of the social distancing restrictions is not likely to take place in the near future, even though he recognises that social distancing and the economic shut-down have their own negative health implications.

“We do view the whole health picture of individuals, of course. COVID is one of the aspects of health, but we need to keep others in mind within the context of the physical distancing measures. Keeping trails open, so people can get outside, continues to be a priority.”

But he does not see opening playgrounds, for example, as a viable option right away.

“Playgrounds are less ideal in terms of ways we can maintain our health because they create distancing issues from children on playground equipment, multiple families, etc.”

He also said that there are concerns about opening up cottage country because of the potential for stress on resources in rural locations, maybe not as much in South Frontenac, where he lives, but in places like North Frontenac where the ratio of seasonal to permanent residents is greater.

“This was a recommendation from the national level and the provincial level, and it has been supported by some municipalities as well,” he said.

Once restrictions are eased, which the province will be talking about later this week, they will also be subject to tightening if the course of the virus changes.

“We would like to see elective surgery start up again, as long as the capacity is there,” he said.

There are currently no COVID patients in KFL&A hospitals, and while hospitals are busier in other parts of the province, they have not had to transfer patients to Kingston in order to deal with the COVID-19 load.